System and method for improved user interface in prompting systems

ABSTRACT

An improved prompting system for accessing specified functions. According to one embodiment, a particular user may identify himself to the system and thereafter preprogram one or more paths that lead directly to a desired function within the hierarchical menu prompting system. The next time the user needs to access the system the user can navigate directly to the desired function by pressing a predetermined key or sequence of keys on his or her Touch-Tone dial. Alternatively, the prompting system may present as an option a direct path to the desired function.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to “System and Method for OrganizingMulti-media Message Folders from a Displayless Interface and SelectivelyRetrieving Information Using Voice Labels,” Ser. No. 08/934,148 and“System and Method for Adding a Subject Line to a Voice Mail Message,”Ser. No. 08/953,786, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,940, both filedconcurrently herewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to prompting systems and, moreparticularly, to an improved method for navigating through a promptingsystem.

2. Description of the Related Art

Telephone-based prompting systems are in increasing use both to providean interface to voicemail systems and to provide an interface forinteractive voice response systems, such as airline reservations, bankcustomer account lines, and other institutional lines such as forgovernment, utilities, credit card companies and the like. In suchsystems, users are presented with hierarchical levels of prompts whichare navigated by pressing buttons on the telephone keypads. Theresulting DTMF (dual tone multifrequency) signals are received by theprompting system and used to access a different level in the hierarchyor to access a specified function.

Frequently, such prompting systems cause user frustration in that theyprovide only a predetermined set of prompts in a predetermined order.

The user who knows his way through the set of prompts to reach a knowndestination must nevertheless be presented with a voice messageidentifying each prompt state. While sequential overrides are available,the user must still key in an entry for each state.

Certain known telephone prompting systems permit a user to select afunction which abbreviates the prompts. Thus, for example, rather thanmessages such as “For information concerning flight arrivals anddepartures, please press 1 now”, the user might be presented with themessage “Arrivals and departures, press 1.” Such systems still, however,require the user to navigate through each of the prompts prior toreaching a desired function. Similarly, other systems allow the user toskip from one hierarchical level to another hierarchical level, but onlyupon being provided with a separate prompt.

Non-institutional dynamic prompting systems (i.e., those not already“fixed”), such as those for in-house voice mail systems, similarlysuffer from inefficiencies in storage and retrieval. More particularly,users of such systems who wish to save messages have no way oforganizing the stored messages when they use a displayless interface,such as a telephone. Such users have only the option of saving or notsaving the messages. The messages then are saved in a linear queue.Frequently, such messages are saved in forward or reverse chronologicalorder, without any further added information. If any of the savedmessages is to be retrieved, the user must listen to each prompt foreach message or for its header. The user is thus unable to screen hisstored message for a desired one in particular.

While the use of a graphical user interface (GUI), such as thoseavailable in computer-telephony interface (CTI) systems, provides anability to organize messages, such GUIs often are not available if userswish to access messages remotely.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved method for navigating amonghierarchical levels and across hierarchical levels in a telephoneprompting system. There is particularly a need for a prompting system inwhich a user can more rapidly navigate to a desired function. There is afurther need for an improved method of organizing voicemail ormultimedia messages from a displayless interface. There is particularlya need for a prompting or messaging system which permits on-the-flyvoice labeling and message organization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other drawbacks of the prior art are overcome in large part bya system and method according to the present invention. According to oneembodiment of the present invention, a prompting system is providedwherein a particular user may identify himself to the system andthereafter preprogram one or more paths that lead directly to a desiredfunction within the hierarchical menu prompting system. The next timethe user needs to access the system, the user can navigate directly tothe desired function by pressing a predetermined key or sequence of keyson his or her Touch-Tone dial, or by speaking a predetermined word orsequence of words. Alternatively, the prompting system may present as anoption a direct path to the desired function. A yet further embodimentof the present invention permits the user to navigate from one of aspecified hierarchical levels to another of a specified hierarchicallevels, for example, by specifying the hierarchical level to which theuser wants to reach or by specifying a number of levels back throughwhich the user wishes to return.

A multimedia messaging system according to another embodiment of theinvention permits a caller to add a subject line to a message. Thevoicemail system can then recognize the subject and play only messagesidentified by the subject line. A further aspect of this embodiment isan automatic subject line or topic search system. For example, thevoicemail system may be preprogrammed to record the first 10 or 15seconds of a recorded message and automatically use these words as thesubject line. The recorded subject line for unplayed messages may thenbe searched as desired. Alternatively, the entire message may beconverted to searchable text. If the user speaks a word, the systemsearches received messages for those containing the text.

A voicemail system according to another aspect of the present inventionallows a user to remotely organize stored messages in hierarchicalfolders from a displayless interface. According to this aspect of theinvention, once the user has retrieved and played his messages, thevoicemail system permits the user to add a folder name or subject line,for example changing the subject line left by the caller, and thereafterstore the message according to a user-defined hierarchy. A still furtheraspect of the invention allows the user to create a macro to send orforward messages or create distribution lists or group lists on the fly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention is obtained when thefollowing detailed description is considered in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephone prompting system according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of a voicemail server accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a representation of a hierarchical menu system according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method according to another embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method according to another embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method according to another embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a method according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings and with particular attention to FIG. 1, ablock diagram illustrating an interactive voice response (IVR) system101 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. It isnoted that, while illustrated as an IVR system, any type of messagingsystem, such as an integrated voice and e-mail system may be employed.The IVR 101 may be a customer relations prompting system or a voicemailsystem, or any combination thereof. The system according to theinvention is configured to permit enhanced organization and navigationover prior IVR's. The interactive voice response system 101 includes aprivate branch exchange (PBX) 100. It is noted that while a PBX 100 isshown, a variety of other switching and/or control facilities may beemployed according to the present invention. Thus, FIG. 1 is exemplaryonly. The PBX 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102 forcontrolling the functions of the PBX 100. The CPU 102 is representativeof, for example, a Pentium, Pentium Pro or Pentium II-type or compatibleprocessor. The CPU 102 is coupled to a storage device 104. The storagedevice 104 is used to store routing information relating to thehierarchical prompt system. The CPU 102 is further coupled to a voicegeneration unit 106 for generating predetermined voice messages. Suchvoice generating systems are well known in the art. The voice generationunit 106 may be either a true voice generator or a storage device withpreprogrammed or prerecorded messages. The CPU 102 is coupled to aswitch control unit 108 which controls switching among a plurality ofdevices which are operably coupled to the PBX 100. The switch controlunit 108 further includes a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) unit 110configured to receive and transmit DTMF and digital signals. A pluralityof telephony devices 112 a-112 c such as telephones, facsimile machines,and the like, are coupled to the PBX 100. In addition, the telephonydevices may include a variety of personal computers 112 d, 112 e, withtelephones 113 a, 113 b coupled to them. The computers and telephonesmay be configured to interact with one another using the TAPI or TSAPIprotocols. The PBX 100 is further coupled to the public switchedtelephone network (PSTN) 114.

In addition, a voice messaging server 103 may be coupled to the PBX 100and configured to provide voicemail services to a plurality of users. Avoice recognition module 105, a control unit 107, and a memory 109 areprovided for identifying spoken terms to be used for creating andmaintaining a folder hierarchy. The voice recognition unit 105 andcontrol 107 are configured to recognize predetermined speech and convertit to text, or otherwise use the speech to provide a “subject line” orfolder title for the message and use the categories of subject toestablish a folder-like hierarchy. According to one aspect of theinvention, the “subject lines” and/or folder names are text-convertedand usable by a graphical user interface (not shown), such as thepersonal computers 112 d, 112 e as well as being navigable by eithervoice or key entry.

A more detailed block diagram of a voice messaging server 103 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. Asdiscussed above, a voice messaging server 103 according to an embodimentof the present invention includes a control unit 107 coupled to a memoryunit 109 and a voice recognition unit 105. The control unit 107 may be,for example, a microprocessor such as a Pentium or Pentium Pro. It isnoted that, while illustrated as a separate unit from the PBX, the voicemessaging server may be integrated therein, and the CPU may perform thevoice recognition control functions, as well. Thus, the figures areexemplary only.

The voice recognition unit 105 is coupled to receive encoded voice data;for example, linear predictive coding filter coefficients and/orexcitation encoding indices such as provided by a VSELP (vector sumexcited linear prediction) coder. In a VSELP coder, the filtercoefficients are representative of, for example, the resonant peaks orformants of the input speech. Other types of coding may be employed.

The voice recognition unit 105 includes a frequency response and peakdetector circuit 50 configured to detect the peak values of vocalfrequencies. A formant extraction unit 52 is coupled to the output ofthe peak detector 50 to extract the formants of the characterizedspeech. The formants are applied by the control unit 50 to search aphoneme database in storage unit 109, which includes information indatabase form which correlates formants to phonemes. The control unit107 interacts with the database to select the best representativephoneme and applies this data to the phoneme-to-text converter. Thephoneme-to-text converter generates a textual representation of theassociated phoneme speech patterns. The text converted speech patternsmay be representative of, for example, topics, subject lines, foldertitles, input coordinates, or the like.

While a particular voice recognition module has been described above,the voice recognition unit 105 may be any of a variety of known voicerecognition modules, such as phoneme based voice recognition systems,with a capability to introduce new words and make them available on thefly. In such systems, phoneme pre-processing of a sufficiently largevocabulary of lexicon may be employed, either via voice or text input.For example, the voice recognition unit 105 may be a voice recognitioncard such as a DVM-4S voice recognition board available from VoiceControl Systems, Inc., Dallas, Tex., or may use systems such as thosedescribed in Hunt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,288, assigned to VoiceControl Systems, Inc., or the system described in Vollert, U. S. Pat.No. 5,166,971, assigned to Siemens AG, or the system described in Arbelet al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,731 and assigned to Siemens BusinessCommunications Systems, Inc., and which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein. Another systemwhich may be employed is De Vos and Kämmerer, “Algorithm and DSPImplementation for a Speaker-independent Single-Word Speech RecognizerWith Additional Speaker-Dependent Say-In Facility,” Proceedings, ThirdInternational Workshop on Interactive Voice Technology forTelecommunications Applications, Sep. 30-Oct. 1, 1996, Basking Ridge,N.J., also incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully setforth herein. Similarly, text-to-phoneme conversion may be accomplishedusing the PureSpeech ReCite! system, available from Pure Speech, Inc.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the voicerecognition unit 105 is responsive to both callers and users. A callermay use or interact with the voice recognition unit 105 to provide asubject line when he leaves a message for the user. For example, if thecaller calls and is directed to the user's voicemail box, the callerwill be prompted to leave a message. Either before he begins recordingthe message or after he has concluded recording the message, thevoicemail system will prompt the user to speak a subject into histelephone. The voice recognition unit 105 recognizes the speech andconverts the subject line to a text equivalent, as will be discussed ingreater detail below, which is stored along with the voice message.

Other techniques may be used to input a subject line. For example, thecaller may enter a one or two word subject on a Touch-Tone keypad or maytype the subject into a PC network computer or terminal that isconnected to the voicemail system through the telephone. Text-to-phonemeconversion may then occur for phoneme-based analysis (and recognition offuture voice input), as discussed in greater detail below. Thetext-to-phoneme conversion may be accomplished using the PureSpeechReCite! system, available from Pure Speech, Inc. Finally, the caller cansimply add the subject by speaking into the handset and the voicerecorded as an audio subject with no text conversion at all.Alternatively, the system may monitor all or a predetermined portion ofthe message (e.g., 10 seconds) for search terms identifiable as topics.

Once the caller-supplied subject line has been added and converted totext, the system may perform searches on the subject lines of unplayedmessages so that the user can access his messages by subject. If no textconversion is provided, searches may still be accomplished, though theymust be based on phoneme analysis and comparison, which is moretime-consuming than a text search. According to another aspect of theinvention, if no subject line provision is made, the voice recognitionunit 105 may nevertheless still be provided to analyze the receivedvoice signals. The message may be converted in its entirety to text orsimply stored as phonemes.

When the user wishes to access his unplayed messages, he may do so bysubject; for example, by speaking a topic such as “budget.” The systemwill then search through all the received unplayed messages in order tofind the use of the phrase “budget.” The system will then present theuser with each unplayed message relating to the topic “budget.” Thevoicemail system will then provide the user with the option of storingthe message. At this point, the user may accept the subject line as thename of a folder, or may speak or key in another name. If spoken, theterm (either text or phoneme) is compared to the stored subjects and theappropriate message accessed. The name may be either the name of anexisting folder or the name of a new folder. As will be discussed ingreater detail below, in order to access stored messages, the user mayeither speak the name of a folder in order to be directed to all of thefolders under that topic, or may speak or key in a coordinate of thefolder or particular message, or may key in an alpha-numeric label forthe particular label. In addition, according to the present invention,creating the folder hierarchy using a displayless interface may alsocause an update of a text-based graphical user interface folder system.For example, the search term or topic may be used as a folder name, andthe message stored thereunder with some identifier. The next time theuser uses his computer, he may access his message by text or a foldergraphic.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a diagram generally illustrating a hierarchicalprompting system 200 according to the present invention is shown.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a caller calls theuser's voicemail system and leaves a message. The voicemail server 103may provide the caller with the option of leaving a message header, orsubject line. The voice recognition unit 105 identifies the subject,which is used by the controller 107 to classify and store the message inan appropriate folder. Alternatively, the system may be configured suchthat a predetermined word or phrase within the body of the message aresearched-for, and the message again is stored accordingly.

When accessing the system, a remote user of a telephony device 112 a-112c calls in to the system and the CPU 102 accesses both the storagedevice 104 and the voice generator unit 106 to provide voice responsesto various user inputs. The system may be responsive to voicerecognition or a keyed entry coordinate navigation system may beprovided. Initially, a welcome message 202 may be presented. The usermay have the ability to speak a subject line or folder name, which willbe recognized by the system. In a more limited system, the voicerecognition unit may recognize only a few words or numbers. In thatcase, the user may speak “next”, or a coordinate, as will be discussedin greater detail below. The user will be directed to the correspondinglevel. Alternatively, the welcome message 202 may provide entry to afirst hierarchical level 204 of menus or prompts. A plurality of prompts204 a-204 c are then presented one after the other. At each prompt, theuser may be given the option of pressing a particular button or speakinga particular phrase to proceed to a next function or level. Thus, forexample, at a prompt 204 a, the user is directed to a second level ofprompts 206. At a prompt 204 b, the user is directed to a second levelof prompts 208.

In the example illustrated, a prompt 204 c is a terminus. When presentedwith the prompt 204 c, the user presses a button and a function (such asdelivering a message, or delivery of account balance information in anIVR) is returned. Each prompt at the second level of prompts 206, 208may itself be a function or give the option of proceeding to a nextlevel of prompts. A third level of prompts, descending from the prompt208 c of prompt level 208, is shown as prompt level 210.

As discussed above, users may be presented with a prompt message at eachhierarchical prompt level. For example, at the first hierarchical promptlevel 204, the user may be presented with a message at prompt 204 a. Ifthe user undertakes no action at that point, the user will be presentedwith a message at prompt 204 b and if no further action is taken, theuser presented with a user prompt message at prompt 204 c. If the userdoes not wish to wait through the entire messages at the prompts 204 aand at 204 b, but instead wishes to proceed to a selection at 204 c, theuser need not do so. Instead, the user may select a key, for example,the pound (#) key or the star (*) key while the prompt at 204 a is beingdelivered. Alternatively, the user may speak “next”. Selecting the poundkey or the star key or speaking “next” will cause the prompt message tojump from the 204 a prompt to the prompt 204 b. If the prompt message204 b begins and the user wishes to skip the prompt 204 b, the user canspeak or press the pound key or the star key again and will be deliveredto the prompt message at prompt 204 c.

According to an aspect of the invention, the user may store a particularpath taken so that at a future time, the user need not navigate throughthe entire prompt system prior to arriving at the desired function.Thus, for example, a user may have accessed the system and beenidentified, for example, via a password (or account number) and navigateto a function at the third hierarchical level 210, specifically function210 a.

Either before or after the function is executed, the user may be giventhe option to store the function path taken, i.e., the end functionselected. If the user accepts the option, for example, by selecting thepound key or the star key, the user may be given the option the nexttime he logs in to proceed directly to that function.

For example, according to an embodiment of the invention, the CPU 102stores in storage unit 104 an association of the function with the user.The next time the user logs in, a new prompt may be provided to the userand a new user message provided from voice generator 106 giving the userthe option of selecting a function key to directly execute the functionidentified by the prompt at 210 a. If the user does not wish to use thefunction, the user may proceed to the default prompt navigation system.

Alternatively, the system may provide the user, upon log in, of theoption of inputting the coordinates of the function last selected. Thus,for example, if the last function selected was that associated withprompt 210 a, the user would be given the option of inputting the digits(3,1) (either by keying in or speaking) which represent the thirdhierarchical level, first function. The user would then proceed directlyto that function. Again, if the user does not want that function, he mayskip it or proceed in the normal course to the default navigationalhierarchy.

A still further embodiment of this coordinate function does not providea prompt at the initial log in, but merely will accept the input ofcoordinates that will immediately jump the user to the desired function.Thus, for example, if the user is being presented with the promptmessage at prompt 204 a, the user may press pound (#) and then certaindigits on the keypad (3,1) to indicate that he wishes to jumpimmediately to the function at prompt 210 a. Alternatively, the user mayspeak the words (3,1) and be directed to prompt 210 a.

Another embodiment of the present invention includes the CPU 102 storingin storage unit 104 a function navigation coordinate menu which permitsthe user to access a specified function. For example, the user may atany time interrupt presentation of specified prompt messages and bedirected to a menu. For example, the user may press the pound key or thestar key and be directed to the menu system. This may include, forexample, a recitation of an abbreviated prompt list followed by keys tobe pressed in order to go directly to the specified function. In oneembodiment, the user may input numbers corresponding to letters on thealphanumeric keypad. Thus, for example, if the user wishes balanceinformation, the user may press buttons (2,2,5)(BAL) in order to get thebalance information function. Alternatively, at each prompt, the usermay be presented with a coordinate address of that particular prompt. Ifthe user wishes to return to the prompt corresponding to a desiredfunction sometime later in his session at the prompting system, he needonly type in the numeric address given earlier. Thus, for example, ifthe user is at the function defined at prompt 210 b but wishes to nowaccomplish a function at prompt 208 b, he need only press (#,2,5) inorder to return to that function.

Finally, the user may return backwards to the beginning prompt at aspecified level of prompts at any time during the session. For example,if the user is at prompt level 3 but wishes to return to prompt level 1,the user may press (*,1) (or say “back, 1”) to return to prompt level 1.In this case, the user will be presented with prompt 204 a.Alternatively, the system may be configured such that the user mayreturn backwards a predetermined number of levels according to userinput. For example, the user may press (*) followed by 2 or say, “back,2” in order to return from prompt level 3 up to prompt level 1.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a flow chart of operation of an embodiment of thepresent invention is shown. In a step 302, a user is allowed to accessthe telephone prompt menu system and is provided with a message at afirst level. The user is then presented with a first of a sequence ofprompts in a step 304. During presentation of a prompt message the usermay select a function key or sequence of keys or speak a command in astep 306. If the user does so, the user will be presented with a promptmessage corresponding to either a next prompt in the same level or aspecified prompt at a lower level or the same level in a step 310. If,however, in step 306 the user did not press any function key, the userwould merely be provided with the sequence of prompts in a step 308. Itis noted that the system may provide a time-out or disconnect if noinput is received within a predetermined period. If the user selected akey in step 308, the user would then be driven to a next level ofprompts in a step 310. As discussed above, selection of a function keyor keys in step 306 may include 1) referencing a preprogrammedalphanumeric address; 2) a predetermined higher level or levels abovethe present level; or 3) a next prompt at a same level of prompts. Itmay further allow the user to speak a folder, label, prompt name, orstart of the application, or coordinate and be directed to thecorresponding folder or application. Either a text or voice based searchroutine may be employed.

Turning now to FIG. 5, a flow chart 400 illustrating a method forrecording and storing a navigation path or destination is shown. Themethod of FIG. 5 is particularly useful in a system having no voicerecognition capabilities or only limited capabilities. In an initialstep, for example, in a welcome message, the CPU 102 may access thevoice generator 106 to provide a message to a user such that the userenters a record mode in a step 402. Entry into the record mode 402 maybe accomplished, for example, by the user selecting a particular key orsequence of keys on his telephone keypad, or by speaking a particularphrase. If the user does enter the record mode, the user will bepresented with a sequence of prompts in the standard order in a step404. At any stage along the way, the user may select a prompt by speechor keyed entry in a step 406. The user's selection of a prompt mayinclude skipping to a prompt at another level or another prompt withinthe same level or it may include proceeding through the prompts in thestandard fashion. In either case, the CPU 102 records the selection andassociates it with the user's identification number in a step 408. Theuser then is navigated to the appropriate level in a step 410, whereuponthe user makes the desired selection in a step 412. The CPU 102 thenperforms the desired function and records the final selection in a step414. If the user has not already done so, the user may store anidentification code in a step 416 which the CPU will store in storageunit 104. The identification code may be an account number, for example,or other standard means of identification. The next time the user logsinto the system, the user will be given the option of selecting therecorded destination path as described above.

Turning now to FIG. 6A, a flow chart illustrating a method forprocessing received voicemail messages according to an embodiment of thepresent invention is shown. More particularly, in a step 602, a callermay connect to the user's mailbox. The voicemail system will then permitthe caller to deliver a message and will prompt the caller to provide asubject line in a step 604. The subject line will be received in a step608. The subject line may include a voice subject line or a text subjectline which may itself be converted to phoneme. The voice recognitionunit 105 may recognize key phrases, for example, by phoneme extractionand comparison, as described above. According to one embodiment of thepresent invention, if the subject line is entered as a voice message, itmay be converted to text in a step 610. Converting the received messageto text includes, for example, analyzing the frequency spectrum andidentifying phonemes corresponding to appropriate speech signals andparameters. Finally, once the subject line is input and identified, themessages are stored for delivery according to subject line.

An alternative method for organizing messages grouped by topic isillustrated as a flow chart in FIG. 6B. More particularly, a caller mayconnect to a mailbox in a step 614. The caller may then record a messagein a step 616. If a voice subject line is to be added, in a step 618,the user may speak the subject line in a step 622. The correspondingvoice data are then stored in a step 624. If, in step 618, however, asubject line was not available, then the caller would simply speak theentire message and the system would analyze the whole or a predeterminedportion of the message in a step 620. Relevant terms such as may beprerecorded may then be classified and stored as phonemes in a step 624.When the user wishes to access his messages he may do so by speaking atopic and they will be delivered.

FIG. 6C illustrates a flow chart of a method for a user to access amailbox. In a step 626, the user accesses his mailbox, for example, bykeying in or speaking an identification code following entry of hismailbox number. In a step 628, the voicemail system may recite a list ofsubjects of messages. It is noted that the subjects or labels may beeither caller-provided (in the case of unplayed messages) or may beuser-defined (in the case of already-played, stored messages). In thecase of unplayed messages, at the end of each recitation, the user isgiven the option of pressing a key or speaking a command to access themessage in a step 630. In case of stored messages, access may be madedirectly to the message, as described above (e.g., by inputting thecoordinate or by speaking the subject or label name). Once the userpresses the key or answers “yes”, the message will be delivered in astep 632. As will be discussed in greater detail below, in the case ofaccessing unplayed messages, the user may then be provided with theoption of saving the message according to the caller's subject or maychange the caller-provided subject to one of his own choice.

An alternate method for accessing messages in a mailbox is shown in FIG.6D. As above, the user accesses his mailbox in a step 634. In a step636, the user may speak a subject line or topic, for example. Thesubject line or topic may be that of either unplayed or stored messages.In a sorting step 638, the voicemail system's voice recognition unit 105will analyze the spoken input and compare the phonemes with those of thestored subject lines. The system will then identify the correspondingsubject line and provide the message in a step 640. Again, as will bediscussed in greater detail below, in the case of unplayed messages, theuser may then store the message on-the-fly according to a newly-createdor already existing folder hierarchy.

A flowchart of such a method for organizing messages in a mailboxaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7.More particularly, user access to a mailbox may be allowed in a step702. The voicemail system may then play the unplayed correspondingmessages in a step 704. As discussed above, the unplayed messages may bestored in an “in box” according to a caller-defined subject line. Oncethe messages are played, the user may be given the option of storing themessages in a step 706. If the user does not wish to store the messages,then the voicemail system will prompt the user to exit the mailboxsystem or to access another message. If the user wishes, however, tostore the message, an opportunity is provided to identify theappropriate folder for which the message is to be stored in a step 708.User identification of the folder or label overrides the caller-suppliedsubject line or label, if any. The user may identify the folder bykeying in letters on a touch-tone keypad or by speaking the name of thefolder. If the system has voice recognition capabilities, the spokenword will be compared with the subjects of the stored folders. Thiscomparison may be either through voice analysis (i.e., directlycomparing the phonemes of the spoken words with those which identify thefolders, or by text-converting the spoken words and comparing thetext-converted subject line with text-converted folder names, or bycomparing phoneme-converted text to stored phonemes). If the folder isidentified as an existing folder in a step 710, then the message will bestored therein in a step 714.

If, however, in step 710 the message was identified as not pertaining toan existing folder, then a new folder would be created in a step 712with the message being stored therein in a step 714. Creation of the newmessage folder may be by either voice methods or by keying in on akeypad, or on a keyboard affixed to a computer. Such keying in may befollowed by phoneme conversion. Once the folders are identified, theymay be stored on computer and converted to text such that a user mayaccess them via a text-based graphical user interface.

Turning now to FIG. 8, a flowchart 800 illustrating a method forcreating mailbox macros according to an embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated. More particularly, the present inventionprovides a capability to create mailing lists, including “forwarding”lists or “distribution” lists, outcalling schedules, and messages on thefly. In a step 802, the user accessing the messaging system from adisplayless interface inputs a command to create a mailing list. Thismay include, for example, speaking “Create list.” Alternatively, theuser may key in a predetermined sequence of keys, as discussed above.Once the user has accessed the “create list” function, he can create theactual list, in a step 804. This may include, for example, the userspeaking a desired forwarding number and recipient name. Once thedesired mailing list has been created, the user stores the list in afolder with a subject heading, in a step 806. This can include, forexample, the user speaking the name of the mailing list; the systemassociates the subject name with the mailing list folder in a mannersimilar to that discussed above.

The list may then be used to forward messages and/or transmit messagesaccording to a predefined schedule. For example, in a step 808, the usermay access a message. This can include accessing a newly-receivedmessage, retrieving a stored message, or creating a new message. Oncethe message has been accessed or created, the user may forward ortransmit the message to the group defined in the mailing list, in a step810. For example, when prompted by the messaging system whether the userwishes to forward the message, the user can speak the name of themailing list folder. The user may also speak a specific time at which hewishes the message to be transmitted. The system accesses the folderdefining the mailing list and reads the recipient names and numbers andforwards the message accordingly.

The invention described in the above detailed description is notintended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein but, on thecontrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modification andequivalents as can reasonably be included within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for accessing an interactive voiceresponse system, comprising: providing a predetermined sequence ofprompts, each of said prompts having a coordinate associated therewith;permitting a user to store a coordinate associated with a terminus, saidpermitting including learning a path based on a history of said useraccessing said terminus; and permitting access to said terminus definedby said sequence of prompts upon said coordinate being input directly bya user; wherein a user can access one hierarchical level of said promptsequence from another hierarchical level in predetermined increments, bysaid user directly inputting said increments.
 2. A method according toclaim 1, wherein said permitting access includes identifying a voicecommand.
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said permittingaccess includes responding to a keypad input.
 4. A method according toclaim 3, wherein said permitting access includes identifying dual tonemulti-frequency signals representative of said coordinates.
 5. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein said corresponding coordinate may be inputwhile a different prompt is being delivered.
 6. A method according toclaim 1, wherein said coordinate is indicative of a hierarchical levelof said prompt.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein saidpermitting includes permitting access from a lower hierarchial level ofprompts to a higher hierarchical level.
 8. A method according to claim6, wherein said permitting includes permitting access from a higherhierarchial level of prompts to a lower hierarchical level.
 9. Aninteractive voice response system, comprising: means for providing apredetermined sequence of prompts, each of said prompts having acoordinate associated therewith; means for permitting a user to store acoordinate associated with a terminus, said permitting means includingmeans for learning a path based on a history of said user accessing saidterminus; and means coupled to said providing means for accessing saidterminus defined by said sequence of prompts upon said coordinate beinginput directly by said user; wherein a user can access one hierarchicallevel of said prompt sequence from another hierarchical level inpredetermined increments, by said user directly inputting saidincrements.
 10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said accessingmeans includes means for identifying a voice command.
 11. A systemaccording to claim 9, wherein said accessing means includes means forresponding to a keypad input.
 12. A system according to claim 11,wherein said accessing means includes means for identifying dual tonemulti-frequency signals representative of said coordinates.
 13. A systemaccording to claim 9, wherein said corresponding coordinate may be inputwhile a different prompt is being delivered.
 14. A system according toclaim 9, wherein said coordinate is indicative of a hierarchical levelof said prompt.
 15. A system according to claim 14, wherein saidaccessing means includes means for permitting access from a lowerhierarchial level of prompts to a higher hierarchical level.
 16. Asystem according to claim 14, wherein said accessing means includesmeans for permitting access from a higher hierarchial level of promptsto a lower hierarchical level.
 17. An interactive voice response system,comprising: means for providing a predetermined sequence of prompts,each of said prompts having a coordinate associated therewith; means forpermitting a user to store a coordinate associated with a terminus, saidpermitting means including means for learning a path based on a historyof said user accessing said terminus; means coupled to said providingmeans for accessing said terminus defined by said sequence of promptsupon said coordinate being input directly by said user; and means foraccessing a hierarchical level of said prompt sequence from anotherhierarchical level in predetermined increments by said user directlyinputting said increments.
 18. An interactive voice response system inaccordance with claim 17, said coordinate comprising a sequence of oneor more numbers corresponding to keypunches required at individualhierarchical levels.